Precision ribbon resistance welding system

Abstract

Disclosed herein is a resistance welding system for welding a ribbon to a bond site of a bond surface. The system includes a welding header, a bond header, a ribbon dispenser, a cutter, and a support surface. The welding header includes a resistance welding tip. The bond header includes a bond foot displaceable relative to the bond surface. The bond foot includes a welding aperture. The ribbon dispenser feeds the ribbon to the bond foot. The support surface is configured to support the bond surface. The bond foot is configured to press the ribbon against the bond site of the bond surface, which is thereby forced against the support surface. With the ribbon so pressed against the bond site, the system is configured to cause the welding tip to enter the welding aperture to resistance weld the ribbon to the bond site of the bond surface.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A resistance welding system for welding a ribbon to a bond site of a bond surface, the system comprising:
 a welding header including a resistance welding tip;   a bond header including a bond foot displaceable relative to the bond surface, the bond foot including a welding aperture;   a ribbon dispenser that feeds the ribbon to the bond foot;   a cutter near the bond foot; and   a support surface configured to support the bond surface;   wherein the bond foot is configured to press the ribbon against the bond site of the bond surface, which is thereby forced against the support surface and, with the ribbon so pressed against the bond site, the system is configured to cause the welding tip to enter the welding aperture to resistance weld the ribbon to the bond site of the bond surface, the system further being configured to then move the bond foot to a location adjacent the bond site and cause the cutter to sever the ribbon at a location between the bond foot and the bond site.   
     
     
         2 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the bond foot further includes a slot defined in the bond foot and leading from an outer surface of the bond foot to the welding aperture. 
     
     
         3 . The system of  claim 2 , wherein the slot is located in a lateral side of the bond foot. 
     
     
         4 . The system of  claim 2 , wherein the slot is located in a toe side of the bond foot. 
     
     
         5 . The system of  claim 2 , wherein the bond foot is further configured to move in a horizontal plane to cause the stationary resistance welding tip to enter the confines of the welding aperture via the slot. 
     
     
         6 . The system of  claim 5 , wherein, when the bond foot moves horizontally to cause the stationary resistance welding tip to enter the confines of the welding aperture via the slot, the support surface moves as a unit with the bond foot. 
     
     
         7 . The system of  claim 6 , wherein the support surface is both capable of moving as a unit with the bond foot and separately from the bond foot. 
     
     
         8 . The system of  claim 7 , wherein at least one of the bond foot and support surface are capable of movement along an x-axis, y-axis, z-axis and rotation. 
     
     
         9 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein in causing the welding tip to enter the welding aperture to resistance weld the ribbon to the bond site of the bond surface, the welding tip displaces vertically relative to the welding aperture. 
     
     
         10 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the ribbon dispenser includes a ribbon spool. 
     
     
         11 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein, in causing the cutter to sever the ribbon at a location between the bond foot and the bond site, the cutter displaces vertically adjacent a toe of the bond foot. 
     
     
         12 . The system of  claim 1 , further comprising a shape or image recognition system. 
     
     
         13 . The system of  claim 12 , wherein the bond foot includes a transparent portion, and a camera of the shape or image recognition system is aimed at the transparent portion. 
     
     
         14 . A method of connecting electrical components of an implantable medical pulse generator during the course of manufacturing the implantable medical pulse generator, the method comprising:
 a) supporting an electrical component on a support surface of a resistance welding system;   b) feeding a ribbon between a bond foot of the resistance welding system and a bond site of a bond surface of the electrical component;   c) causing the bond foot to press the ribbon against the bond site of the bond surface, thereby forcing the electrical component against the support surface;   d) with the bond foot pressed against the ribbon as recited in step c), causing a resistance welding tip to enter a welding aperture of the bond foot;   e) causing the resistance welding tip to resistance weld the ribbon to the bond site of the bond surface within the confines of the aperture;   f) causing the bond foot to displace to a location adjacent the a weld resulting from step e); and   g) using a cutter to sever the ribbon between the weld and the location adjacent the weld.   
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 14 , wherein the causing of the resistance welding tip to enter the welding aperture includes causing the welding tip to displace vertically into the aperture. 
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 14 , wherein the causing of the resistance welding tip to enter the welding aperture includes causing the welding tip to displace longitudinally through a slot into the aperture, the slot being defined in the bond foot and leading to the aperture. 
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 16 , wherein the slot is located in a lateral side of the bond foot. 
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 16 , wherein the slot is located in a toe side of the bond foot. 
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 14 , wherein, in causing the cutter to sever the ribbon between weld and the location adjacent the weld, the cutter displaces vertically adjacent a toe of the bond foot.